Thai princess takes tour of pilgrimage site in Tripura

Kailasahar/Agartala: Thai princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on Tuesday paid a visit to a Shaivite place of worship in Tripura's Unakoti district, about 178 km from here, amid heavy security arrangements, an official said. Sirindhorn, who arrived in Unakoti around 11am, took a tour of the rock carvings at the eighth-century pilgrimage site, accompanied by Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and a high-level delegation from her country, he said.

"The princess was received by MLAs Bhagaban Das and Sudhangshu Das near Unakoti, where her copter landed. Assistant Director of Archaeological Survey of India, Sujit Nayan, guided her as she toured the rock carvings and stone idols of Raghunandan Hills," he said, Sirindhorn left for Imphal around 4.15pm, he added. The chief minister, after her brief meet with the princess, told reporters that she has expressed her willingness to visit 'Chhabimura and Neermahal' too. "Sirindhorn appreciated the grandeur and artistry at Unakoti and expressed her desire to visit other tourist places in the state such as Chhabimura and Neermahal," Deb said.

Chhabimura, on the banks of river Gomati, is a historical site with rock carvings dating back to the 11th century, while Neermahal, on Rudrasagar Lake, is the summer palace of Tripura's last Manikya king, Maharaja Birbikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur. The CM also said that his government was working hard to develop the tourism prospects of the state. "We are making all efforts to develop the tourism industry in the state. The industry got a boost with the visit of the Thai princess today (Tuesday)," he said.